Petunia plant named ‘Duepotpihop’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Duepotpihop’, characterized by its compact and outwardly spreading to trailing growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; medium-sized red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Duepotpihop’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY RELATED APPLICATIONS

U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/316,430, ‘Duepotpiber’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duepotpihop’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Petunia cultivars with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in August, 2006 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T04-0070-005, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number F-2020-13, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since May, 2008, has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Duepotpihop’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Duepotpihop’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia:

-   -   1. Compact and outwardly spreading to trailing growth habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Medium-sized red purple-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower size as plants of the new Petunia have smaller flowers than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower size as plants of the new Petunia have larger flowers than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of Petunia×hybrida ‘Duepotpiber’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/316,430, in flower color as plants of ‘Duepotpiber’ have reddish pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the Petunia×hybrida ‘Famous Snow White’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Petunia differed primarily from plants of ‘Famous Snow White’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more compact than plants of         ‘Famous Snow White’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia had shorter intemodes than plants         of ‘Famous Snow White’.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia had larger leaves than plants of         ‘Famous Snow White’.     -   4. Plants of the new Petunia had smaller flowers with shorter         peduncles than plants of ‘Famous Snow White’.     -   5. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Famous Snow White’ differed in         flower color as plants of ‘Famous Snow White’ had white-colored         flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Petunia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Duepotpihop’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Rheinberg, Germany, under commercial practice during the spring in a glass-covered greenhouse with day and night temperatures averaging 18° C. and light levels averaging 4,500 lux. Rooted young plants had been growing for 16 weeks when the photograph and description were taken. Plants were pinched one time about three weeks after planting. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Duepotpihop’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T04-0070-005, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code number F-2020-13, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven days at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About ten days at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact and outwardly spreading to             trailing growth habit. Freely branching habit with about             eight to ten lateral branches developing after pinching.             Moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 24 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 20 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2.3 cm.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 144A to 144B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate, simple; after             flowering, opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 3.7 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Spatulate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; leathery.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 137A; venation, close to 144B. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C; venation,             close to 144B.         -   Petiole length.—About 5 mm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Medium-sized salverform             flowers; single flowers arising from leaf axils. Freely             flowering habit with usually about 25 to 30 open flowers and             flower buds per plant. Flowers face upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from             late spring into autumn in Germany. Early flowering habit,             plants typically beginning flowering about nine weeks after             planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five days on             the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 2.4 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Flower bud.—Shape: Ovoid. Length: About 3.5 cm. Diameter:             About 7 mm. Color: Between 187A and 77A.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:             About 2.3 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.3 cm. Petal shape:             Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Rounded. Petal margin:             Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; satiny. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube             texture: Pubescent. Color: Petal, when opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 67A, color does not fade             with development; venation, close to 187A. Petal, when             opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 71B to             71C; venation, close to 175A. Flower throat: Close to 187A;             venation, close to 187A. Flower tube: Close to 144B;             venation, close to 175A.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals fused at the base per flower. Sepal length: About             3 cm. Sepal width: About 5 mm. Sepal shape: Narrowly oblong.             Sepal apex: Rounded. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, immature and             mature, upper surface: Close to 137A. Color, immature and             mature, lower surface: Close to 137C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color:             Close to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Five per             flower. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther length: About 2.5 mm.             Anther color: Close to 2D. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen             color: Close to 2D. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower.             Pistil length: About 1.8 cm. Style length: About 1.5 cm.             Style color: Close to 145B. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma             color: Close to 144B. Ovary color: Close to 144B.             Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 2° C. to about 38° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia. 

1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Duepotpihop’ as illustrated and described. 